Collecting receptacle for liquids,especially urine

ABSTRACT

A COLLECTING RECEPTACLE FOR LIQUIDS, ESPECIALLY URINE IS FORMED AS A PLIABLE ELONGATED BAG HAVING A SINGLE OPENING IN ONE OF ITS SIDE WALLS, AND COMPRISING A PARTITION DIVIDING THE RECPTACLE INTO TWO COMPARTMENTS ALONG A MAJOR DIMENSION OF THE BAG, THE COMPARTMENTS EACH BEING FILLED WITH ABSORBENT MATERIAL. THE PARTITION IS FORMED BY TWO PERFORATED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WALL ELEMENTS OF WHICH AT LEAST THE ONE NEARER SAID OPENING INCLUDES AN APERTURE SUBSTAINTIALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID OPENING AND FORMING A LIQUID-TIGHT PASSAGE THEREWITH. THE WALL ELEMENTS ARE GENERALLY PERFORATED EXCEPT IN THE REGION OF SAID PASSAGE AND OPPOSITE SAID OPENING.

Oct. 19,.1971 H. o. s. LANGSTROM 3,613,123

COLLECTING RECEPTACLE FOR LIQUIDS ESPECIALLY URINE Filed Dec. 18, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 6'. 0. 6- Lmv 06-1-04 Bl/W, M, '77 W Arr- Mm Oct. 19, 1971 H. o. s. LANGSTROM 3,613,123

COLLECTING RECEPTACLE FOR LIQUIDS ESPECIALLY URINE Filed D60. 18, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. A a. 5. L oyam a BM? #M 1971 H. o. s. LANGSTROM 3,

COLLECTING RECEP'I'ACLE FOR LIQUIDS ESPECIALLY URINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 18; 1969 INVENTOR. 6 .0 5'. Lana-411" Oct. 19, 1971 H. 0. s. LANGSTROM 3,613,123

COLLECTING RECEPTACLE FOR LIQUIDS ESPECIALLY URINE Filed Dec. 18, 1969 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 7

Bi /W United States Patent Int. Cl. Ebsd 13/00 U.S. Cl. 4-110 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collecting receptacle for liquids, especially urine is formed as a pliable elongated bag having a single opening in one of its side walls, and comprising a partition dividing the receptacle into two compartments along a major dimension of the bag, the compartments each being filled with absorbent material. The partition is formed by two perforated substantially parallel wall elements of which at least the one nearer said opening includes an aperture substantially aligned with said opening and forming a liquid-tight passage therewith. The wall elements are generally perforated except in the region of said passage and opposite said opening.

The present invention refers to a collecting receptacle for liquids, especially urine, and of the type adapted to be applied in close contact with the urogenic member. The receptacle consists of a pliable bag having a single opening for the introduction of the liquid and is filled with an absorbent material disposed in two compartments in the receptacle, the compartments being formed along a major dimension of the receptacle by means of two substantially parallel selectively perforated wall elements.

Especially in hospitals it is a great problem to collect urine in a rational and sanitary manner from continent as well as from incontinent patients. The most common method is to provide vessels of glass or the like for collecting the urine, but such vessels must be supplied to the patient on each occasion and thereafter be emptied, cleaned and possibly also sterilized. For incontinent patients it has been common to provide absorbing pads for collecting excreta as well as urine. These pads have to be retained by means of trews or diapers of liquid resistant material. Due to lack of personnel it is often impossible to watch the patients and to change a used pad in time. The soiled pad will then be in contact with the body for some time, which irritates the skin and may cause wounds which are difiicult to heal.

Collecting receptacles for urine have also been proposed, where a pliable hose is fitted to the opening of a vessel. This hose is provided with a restricted opening intended to prevent a return flow of the urine. This type of non-return valve does not safely prevent the back fiow of urine, and it furthermore suffers from the great disadvantage that it will not sufficiently rapidly permit the passage of a large quantity of urine due to the fact that the restricted opening will spread the urine over a small portion of the absorbent pad only. It has furthermore been proposed to provide the hose with inlet and outlet openings of the same size, but this arrangement has not operated satisfactorily.

A definite desideratum is to provide a collecting receptacle which immediately will receive a large quantity of liquid without reflecting the same. The receptacle must furthermore be designed in such a manner that it is suited for mass production. It is intended to be thrown away after use and must be suited for manufacture on a line production basis sufliciently cheaply to permit the use of Patented Oct. 19, 1971 several units for each patient per day, without the costs being too high. An important detail is the design of the means for fitting the receptacle to a girdle or suspender by means of which the receptacle is carried by the patients. Even here the manufacturing cost will be a deciding factor, especially since with bed-ridden patients it is often necessary to change the girdle or the suspender, respectively, together with the receptacle.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a collecting receptacle which will comply with the requirements stated above and lacks the disadvantages of the known devices, and which due to its design may be carried by continent as well as by incontinent patients without obstructing their movements.

The invention is characterized in that the partition wall is formed by two selectively perforated portions arranged close to each other with their planes substantially parallel and extending mainly over the entire breadth and length of the receptacle in such a manner that the absorbent material is divided in two separate portions.

Further advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, which describes with reference to the attached drawings some preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an elevation of a collecting receptacle according to the invention adapted to be carried by a male patient.

FIG. 2 shows a section along line IIII in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an elevation of a corresponding receptacle adapted for a female patient.

FIG. 4 is a section along line lVIV in FIG. 3, with the vessel in position for use.

FIG. 5 shows a section through a modified embodiment of a collecting receptacle for a male patient.

FIG. 6 schematically shows an elevation of a plant for manufacturing collecting receptacles according to the invention, and

FIG. 7 shows the same plant as viewed from above.

In all embodiments shown the receptacle is manufactured as a bag 1 of pliable, synthetic resin for instance a plastic foil, which is formed into a bag, or a hose being closed at both ends and having a single opening 1 The plastic bagthe vessel 1may possibly on its outward surface be provided with a liquid-absorbing sheathing, for instance a thin cover of paper, which will absorb sweat and is more friendly to the skin than the plastic material. The vessel 1 may possibly be manufactured of pliable paper, for instance the so called non-woven material, the face of which turned towards the inside of the vessel being provided with a liquid repellent sheathing of a weldable plastic material. The vessel 1. encloses an absorbing material 3, which has such a volume that it will receive a required quantity of liquid.

In order to provide as large an absorbing surface as possible the material 3 is divided longitudinally into two portions 4 and 5, which are separated by a partition wall 6 comprising two portions 7 and 8 arranged close by each other and extending mainly all over the length and the breadth of the vessel. The wall portion 6 may consist of a thin plastic film, which is perforated except immediately opposite the opening 2. It may also consist of a plastic gauze which in the actual portion opposite opening 2 is provided with a liquid repellant sheathing. This may be sprayed on the gauze or may consist of a piece of plastic foil bonded or welded to the gauze.

The wall portion 6 may consist of a slab of foamed plastic, the portion of which turned towards the opening 2 is treated with a wax emulsion. The latter is preferably applied in such a manner, that the pores of the foamed plastic remain open. This wall portion thus permits the passage of liquid except at the part immediately opposite the opening 2. The slab 7 of foamed plastics may furthermore be treated with an agent which is friendly to the skin, and possibly be treated also with a deodorant.

The opening 2 in the vessel 1 may during manufacture be sealed by the material of the wall of the vessel extending across the space to be laid open to form the opening. The opening in use is then defined by a ring or the like attached to the wall and within which indications 2a for rupturing the wall are provided. By inserting a finger into the ring the wall will be broken and the sealing of the vessel opened. In this manner it is possible to guarantee that the content of the vessel is sterile, which is important when the vessel is to be used with patients who just have passed an operation.

The absorbent material 3 may consist of a cellulose wadding, foamed plastic, prepared peat stuff or, preferably, torn paper material, the so called fluff. A common feature of these highly absorbent materials is that it is difficult to shape them into coherent bodies. The materials must therefore be given strengthening properties and/ or a surface cover. This is according to the invention attained by means of the selectively perforated partition walls, which through heat treatment may be welded to the sur face of the absorbent material, the latter will thereby obtain sufficient strength to be treated as a body. It is also possible to spray a binding agent on to the surface of the absorbent which furthermore will prevent dustlike particles from being separated from the material and also increases the welding properties. These binding agents must of course not decrease the absorbing properties. The volume of the absorbent material in the vessel is chosen in such a manner that the vessel may receive a volume of liquid corresponding to a required number of urinations without the absorbency being fully utilized. It is also ascertained that the vessel even if it should be subjected to an external pressure for instance between the legs of the patient, will not eject any noticeable amount of urine through the opening 2.

The vessel according to FIGS. 1 and 2 is designed to be used by male patients, and to that end the opening 2 is mainly circular. The opening is supported by a strengthening ring 9, the inner opening of which corresponds to the opening 2 to the vessel. The inner edge of this opening is welded to the outer wall of the vessel around the opening 2 in such a manner that it will form an integrating part of the vessel. The ring 9 is furthermore provided with a plurality of hooks 11, which serve as attachments for a girdle or a suspensory which preferably may consist of a piece of gauze or a net of simple design, the meshes of which may be attached to the hooks 11 at the ring 9'. The gauze or net may be rolled around the body as a belt, and be fixed at the waist and possibly also along the legs.

With the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the wall portion 8 of the perforated partition wall 6 is attached to the portion around the opening 2 in the vessel, whereby the introduction of the penis is facilitated. As the part of the wall 8 adjacent the opening is not provided with perforations the member will rest upon a smooth water repellent surface, which does not retain any moisture. Irritations of the skin due to extended contact with urine will hereby be removed.

For certain male patients, especially elderly ones who may have a short penis, it may be preferable to design the vessel in the manner shown in FIG. 5. Both portions 4 and 5 of absorbent material are provided with a recess in connection to the opening 2, but only the wall in one of the portions 5 will be provided with opening. The other portion 4 is provided with an unbroken wall which may serve as a control window when adjusting the vessel in position.

The vessel according to FIGS. 1 and 2 consists of an extended plastic bag, which is welded along at least three sides. When welding together the short sides buttons 13 and 14 are formed in the overlapping material portions 12. The button 13 is designed as a female part, and button 14 as a corresponding male part. These buttons are devised in such a manner that the bag may be folded along line A-A and the buttons interconnected, whereby the opening 2 will be closed by the upturned portion of the vessel. The filled vessel will thereby be easier to handle and no leakage of urine is likely to occur.

The vessel according to FIGS. 3 and 4 is designed for female patients, and is provided with a mainly oval opening 2, which extends transversally to the longitudinal direction of the vessel. In use the vessel is folded in such a manner that it will have mainly a U- or a V-form, with the opening 2 located between the shanks and turned outwards. With this design it is possible to obtain a good fitting of the vessel to the urogenic member and also to provide a vessel which may receive a comparatively large volume of urine. The urine filled absorbent material is not located in direct contact with the urogenic member and thus irriations of the skin are avoided.

Receptacles according to the invention may be manufactured in a plant shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 in the following manner. The absorbing material, for instance fluff, is fed from a container 15 in a even layer on a endless conveyor 16. On the top surface of this material a covering of perforated plastic film 6 or gauze is applied, whereupon the absorbent material and the film is brought to pass through a stamp, preferably a roller stamp 17, which forms pairs of blanks 18 corresponding to the external shape of the vessel. The stamping is preferably arranged in such a manner that the basic sheet or perforated plastic film, or gauze, remains unbroken and may be wound on a roller 20 while the stamped-out blanks are transferred to a second conveyor belt 19. Between the roller stamp 17 and the conveyor 19 the absorbent material surrounding the blanks 18 is removed by a means of a number of compressed air nozzles 21, which blow the surplus flutf to a container 22, from which it may be conveyed back to the container 15. A conveyor 19 transports the blanks 18 past a heating means where the perforated film or the gauze, respectively, on the top of the fluff will be melted suflicient to guarantee an eflicient connection between the covering and the fluff. Thereafter the blanks 18 are transferred to a third conveyor 24, below which a roller 25 carrying weldable plastic foil 26 is arranged. The latter is adapted to form the external walls of the vessel. The plastic foil 26 is arranged in such a manner on the conveyor 24 that the blanks 18 are transferred to the foil 26 and will be transported thereon to a station 27, where the perforated film or the gauze, respectively, is welded to the foil 26, partly in the portion where later on the opening 2 will be provided, and partly along the edges of the film or gauze, respectively. When the partition wall 6 is composed of gauze a covering disc is also at this station attached to the portion of the gauze, which will be located opposite the opening 2.

The next step in the manufacture is to interconnect a pair of blanks 18 in such a manner that the perforated sides will be located opposite each other. This may be obtained by folding the plastic foil 26 lengthwise in such a manner that the longitudinal edges of the foil will be located in a vertical plane. In this position the welding of the longitudinal edges occurs at station 28. Thereafter the foil is turned back to horizontal position and passes a station 29, where rings 9 are attached. In connection herewith the short ends of the vessel are sealed and simultaneously the buttons 13 and 14 are formed. At the following station 31, which may be a roller stamp, the ready-made vessels are separated from each other by means of cutter 32 and the surplus from the plastic foil is wound on a roller 33. The ready-made vessels are thereafter forwarded to a packaging station 34.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described, but may be varied in many ways within the scope of the appended claims. It is furthermore possible to vary the external shape of the vessel in a number of ways, bearing in mind that the characterizing features as in the main claim are retained. The manner of manufacturing the receptacles may of course be performed in an order other than shown and described in connection with FIGS. 6 and 7.

What I claim is:

1. In a collecting receptacle for liquids, especially urine and of the type adapted to be applied in close contact with the urogenic member, the construction comprising an elongated bag of pliable liquid-proof material having a single opening in one of its side walls for the introduction of the urine; at liquid-proof partition wall consisting of two selectively perforated substantially parallel wall elements dividing the receptacle into two compartments each filled with liquid absorbent material; and at least the wall element nearer said opening being provided with an aperture substantially aligned with said opening and forming a liquid-tight passage therewith, the wall elements being liquid-proof in the region of said passage and opposite said opening.

2. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 in which the elements of the partition wall are formed by a gauze, the portions which form said passage, and are directly opposite to said opening, and are liable to come into contact with the urogenic member are made liquid resistant.

3. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 in which the elements of the portions which form that passage and are liable to come into contact with the urogenic member are made liquid resistant.

4. The collecting receptacle according to claim 3 in which a portion of one side of the foamed plastic slab opposite the opening is covered by a wax emulsion, which is applied in such a manner that the pores in the slab remain open.

5. The collecting receptacle according to claim 3 in which the slab opposite the opening is treated with a liquid resistant material which is friendly to the skin.

6. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 and adapted to be used by a female, in which the opening to the bag is oval and arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the bag intermediate the ends thereof, the bag being adapted during use to be folded in such a manner that it will assume a substantially U shape with said opening located between the shanks of the folded receptacle but turned away therefrom.

7. The collecting receptacle according to claim v1 and designed to be used by a male, in which the bag has a rectangular cross section with a larger breadth than thick ness, the opening being located in the broader side of the vessel close to an end thereof.

8. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 in which the opening of the receptacle is sealed during manufacture by the material of the Wall of the bag covering the opening, the space around the opening being provided with indications where to rupture the seal in order to make the opening available.

9. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 in which the bag is formed by a plastic film, which at its outside, remote from the absorbent material, is provided with a moisture absorbing layer.

10. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 in which the bag is formed by a liquid absorbing paper, which on its inside, towards the absorbent material is provided with a liquid resistant layer.

11. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 in which the absorbent material is treated with a strengthening and bonding agent.

12. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 in which the opening to the bag is strengthened by a supporting ring, the inner opening of which corresponds to the opening to the bag, the outer portion of the ring being provided with a plurality of hooklike attachments for attachment to a girdle.

13. The collecting receptacle according to claim 1 in which button like members are fitted in the ends of the bag, one of said buttons being designed as a female part and the other as a male part, in such a manner that it will be possible to close the opening of the bag by folding the bag transversely in the middle region to engage the buttons.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,619,653 12/1952 Young 4-112 2,873,740 2/1959 Wainwright 128-295 2,971,512 2/ 1961 Reinhardt 128-295 3,349,768 10/ 1967 Keane 128-295 X 3,403,410 10/1968 Benzel et al. 4-110 3,432,863 3/1969 Schwartz 4-110 3,471,871 10/1969 Nociti et a1 4-142 3,475,767 11/1969 Friesen et al 4-110 HENRY K. ARTIS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

